SANA'A, Dec. 3--The Liberation and Independence Coordinating
Committee (LICC) announced on Wednesday a strike and march for
government employees and civilians to take place Thursday in Hadramout
governorate.

The LICC in Hadramout was created in September as a way to expand
the Southern Movement's cause in governorates that were a part of
the formerly independent South Yemen..

"This is in line with the Southern Movement's struggle to
regain the control of their state," said Ali Abdullah, the
spokesperson for the LICC.

Supporters of the Southern Movement, a group encompassing many
loosely-aligned southern secessionist factions, have been camping out in
the south's largest city, Aden since Oct. 14, demanding that the
central government recognize their calls for independence.

The planned strike in Hadramout piggy backs on demonstrations in
Aden on Saturday that called for the halt of state oil production in the
south and for central government institutions to vacate their branches
in the southern governorates. Calls were not headed and government
bodies and oil production continue to operate.

The LICC is asking government employees in Hadramout to attend work
on Thursday but to refrain from fulfilling their duties from the hours
of 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

A public relations representative for a labor union in the city of
Mukalla, Salem Baduqaidq, announced the union's support for the
employee strike. Employees at public schools, universities, health
facilities and emergency units within the water and electricty sectors
are not being asked to support the strike he said.

Instead the strike will target revenue-generating institutions like
the Central Bank, the post office and state-run petroleum companies.

Abu Bakr Ahmad, a finance ministry employee in Mukalla, says he
enthusiastically supports the strike. He believes it will send a strong
message to the central government that secessionists are serious about
their calls for an autonomous southern nation.

"Participating in the strike is a matter of siding with my
people's demand to realize independence," he said.

In line with the overall platform of the Southern Movement that
espouses non-violent means of protest, the LICC says they also support
peaceful civil disobedience.

At protests in Aden on Saturday, one person was fatally shot when
security forces opened fire on protesters, according to eye witnesses.
Security forces have denied their culpability in the event.

A march for civilians is planned to accompany the brief
state-employee strike on Thursday in Hadramout to denounce the violence
in Aden.

"Our struggle is peaceful and will remain peaceful," said
Ahmad Al-Jawhi, the head of the LICC.

Security forces in Mukalla say they do not plan to intervene with
protests as long as the public's interest is not put at risk.

"They are free to protest or hold sit-ins," said Saleh
Al-Naqib, Mukalla's security manager. But he said it is
"unacceptable" if public facilities are attacked by
protesters.

The governor of Hadramout could not be reached for comment on how
government facilities would respond to striking employees.